Press Releases
Japan-Paraguay Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Working Dinner
November 22, 2021
On November 22, commencing at around 5 p.m., Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a Japan-Paraguay Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (approximately 40 minutes) and a working dinner (approximately 60 minutes) with His Excellency Dr. Euclides Acevedo Candia, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay. The overview is as follows.
1.
Opening remarks
Minister Hayashi welcomed Minister Acevedo’s visit to Japan. Minister Hayashi stated that Paraguay is one of the friendliest countries to Japan, home to approximately 10,000 people of the Nikkei (Japanese descent), and is an important partner that shares fundamental values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
2.
Bilateral relations
- (1) The two sides shared the view that, now with the balance of power in the international community changing at an accelerating pace and in a complex manner, further cooperation was necessary to maintain and strengthen a free and open international order based on the rule of law. Minister Acevedo expressed support for realizing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).”
- (2) Looking ahead to post-COVID-19, the two sides shared the view of the need for revitalizing Japan-Paraguay economic relations. Minister Hayashi communicated the Government of Japan’s decision to provide technical cooperation for assisting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to further support an early economic recovery and revitalization of society in Paraguay, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Hayashi stated that Japan has been supplying equipment for strengthening the necessary medical systems during COVID-19, and that Japan intends to continue providing cooperation for the economic and social development of Paraguay, including infrastructure development.
- (3) Minister Acevedo announced that Paraguay would be participating at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, to which Minister Hayashi expressed pleasure over being able to host the Expo with Paraguay’s participation.